1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a vehicle lower body structure.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-237636 (JP-A-2003-237636) describes a vehicle structure with which a load applied to a vehicle due to a collision (hereinafter, referred to as a “collision load”) is transferred to a frame structural member of the vehicle, whereby deformation of a vehicle compartment is minimized. In the vehicle structure described in JP-A-2003-237636, a floor cross-member is attached to the floor pan and extends obliquely from a side sill (hereinafter, referred to as a “rocker”) toward a lateral center member (hereinafter, referred to as a “floor pan tunnel member”).
In the described structure, a collision load transferred to the rocker when an offset collision occurs is efficiently transferred via the floor cross-member to the floor pan tunnel member.
However, a bumper beam is usually above the level of the rocker in a vehicle. Accordingly, if an offset collision or the like occurs and a vehicle collides directly against a windshield pillar of the host vehicle, a collision load is applied to the windshield pillar from a position above the rocker. When a collision load is applied to the windshield pillar via a front tire of the host vehicle, the collision load may be applied to the windshield pillar from a position above the rocker.
With the structure described in JP-A-2003-237636, a collision load is efficiently transferred from the rocker to the floor pan tunnel member. However, if a collision load is applied to the windshield pillar from a position above the rocker, the collision load is not efficiently transferred to reinforced members such as the floor pan tunnel member to be dispersed. Accordingly, deformation of a vehicle compartment due, for example, to an offset collision is not mitigated.